Staff down tools in overtime row (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Staff down tools in overtime row

STAFF at South Marston Distribution Centre walked out in protest after managers told them they had no choice but to work overtime.

The dispute has been simmering for months but, according to one employee, it reached boiling point on Tuesday.

The employee claims that at the end of the early shift, management informed staff they would have to stay on to work overtime.

Sixteen of the 18 staff involved downed tools, refusing to do the overtime.

But, according to employees, SDC management claim they can enforce such rules because employees' contracts changed with effect from Monday even though staff say they have not seen amended contracts.

However, Steve Lillis, human resources director at SDC, denied there had been any problems.

"We did not have a walkout, there was just a misunderstanding among a number of employees about when they should be leaving," he said.

"There seemed to be some confusion and some employees left work early. It is an issue which has now been resolved.

"We have reduced our working week from 40 hours to 39 hours. We have not imposed compulsory overtime."

But workers claim SDC management has been trying to introduce compulsory overtime since February.

Although there is no officially-recognised union at SDC, Amicus, the UK's largest manufacturing union, is hoping to gain recognition within five weeks. But, says one employee, it may be too late.

He said: "The managers are acting as if negotiations are done and dusted, even though there have been no negotiations and no agreements.

"They are now claiming that because we came in on Monday, it means we agreed to the new contract.

"I know I have definitely not agreed to any new terms or conditions in my contract because I haven't even received one."

The union claims managers at SDC have refused employees the chance to vote on the overtime proposals for fear of them being rejected.

Jim D'Avila, regional officer for Amicus, said: "It is illegal for an employer to change an employee's contract without agreement.

"Amicus is redoubling its efforts in recruiting SDC staff into the union in anticipation of winning negotiation rights and removing the fear factor that exists within SDC."

SDC is a major supplier to Honda UK so any disruption to work patterns at SDC could cause the Japanese manufacturing giant serious problems.